Typically, the team that turns the ball over less in a football game comes away with the victory.

That was not the case at all on Friday night at Culver City High however, as the visiting North Torrance Saxons forced five turnovers but still fell to the host Centaurs 37-14.

“It was amazing that in the red zone we were able to come away with footballs,“ said North head coach Todd Croce. “We could have come away with so much more but we just shot ourselves in the foot left and right.”

The evening began well for both teams, as each looked crisp on opening drives that culminated in touchdowns.

Culver City (2-1) opened the scoring on a two-yard touchdown run by Kevin McGuire and North (2-2) responded just over two minutes later, as Glenn Searcy connected with JJ Belmontes on a 43-yard touchdown strike.

Then came the turnover parade for the Centaurs, as junior quarterback Jonathan Martin was picked off deep inside North territory by Saxon safety Brayden DeOcampo. Culver City then recovered a Saeed Galloway fumble inside the North 20-yard line but coughed it right back up to the Saxons.

The Centaurs third turnover of the opening quarter came on a would-be touchdown run by Martin, in which he fumbled the ball through the back of the end zone, resulting in a touchback and the ball heading back to North.

The Saxons had their fair share of problems as well, as Galloway fumbled the ball away for the second time in the opening frame and only saw two carries in the second quarter because of it.

Martin would toss another pick in the red zone early in the second but it wouldn’t matter, as North’s offense managed just one first down in the quarter and went to the half down 21-7 following the first of two touchdown passes from Martin to receiver Charles Ross.

The only scoring in the third quarter came on a Centaurs field goal, which extended their lead to 24-7. As Culver City looked to blow the game wide open late in the third, Brandon Oum, who finished with a game-high 185 yards on 25 carries, fumbled the ball away at the North goal line to notch the host Centaurs fifth turnover of the evening.

Galloway would give the Saxons some life with a 1-yard touchdown run just three seconds into the fourth quarter but the Centaurs scored twice more on Martin touchdown passes to win handily.

Galloway finished the night with 113 yards and a score on 18 carries for North, while Searcy, under constant pressure, threw for 129 yards and a score.

Martin finished 14-25 for 224 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions for the Centaurs, while Ross led all receivers with 68 yards and two scores on five receptions.